Eliminate dust mites in your bedroom

Is your bed a health hazard? You may sleep better at night when you are unaware of the bugs living in your mattress, but dust mites can cause serious health problems. Dr. Philip Tierno, author of The Secret Life of Germs (Pocket Books, 2001) appeared on Oprah to warn people of these curious bed-fellows.It's not the dust mites themselves that threaten us. It's what they leave behind. Dust mite excrement can aggravate your allergies. "Each mite excretes approximately 20 pellets a day," says Garry Lassman, president of The Mattress Doctor, a mattress-cleaning service. Inhaling these minute droppings and their allergens can irritate the nose, throat and lungs and exacerbate existing respiratory conditions, like asthma.

Dust mites are more prevalent in the bedroom because they thrive on conditions found almost exclusively within the average mattress, says Lassman. "The average double mattress contains over two million dust mites."

Microscopic in size, dust mites feed on our dead skin cells. According to Dr. Tierno, the average human loses a million and a half skin cells per hour over the day. At night, as you snuggle into bed, those skin cells are sloughed off and end up in your sheets, pillowcases and mattress.

Since Canadians spend about 90 per cent of their time indoors, according to Health Canada, it is beneficial to your health to try to maintain a dust-mite-free home.

Page 1 of 2

Eliminating and preventing dust mites in your bedroom
Both cold air and strong sunlight kills off dust mites. However unless you want to cart your mattress outside every week, there are easier ways to get rid of them. Replacing an old mattress and increasing a room's ventilation can reduce the amount of dust mites in a bedroom, according to studies published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2006.One option on the market is a vacuum that uses HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters. Vacuums with these special filters capture smaller particles than the average vacuum and can be purchased at stores like Canadian Tire. Another option is to place an impervious cover on your mattress and pillows. Mattress retailers Sleep Country Canada carry a line called HealthGuard.

Lassman suggests doing the following regular household chores to prevent dust mites in your home:

• Wash your bedding at least once a week in hot water.
• On a cold day, open your windows until your mattress reaches the outside air temperature. On a warm day, hang out your rugs and blankets, and air out your home.
• Vacuum anything in the home that collects dust, including upholstery, carpeting, rugs, stuffed animals, etc.
• If possible, use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
• Try to reduce the humidity in your home with dehumidifier. According to Lassman, mites thrive in temperatures warmer than 20°C (70°F) with a relative humidity of 60-80%.

The Mattress Doctor's professional cleaning service includes three steps: a special cleaner head loosens dust, dirt and droppings and a high-power vacuum with a special HEPA filter is used; a sterilizing unit kills bacteria, viruses and spores; and lastly, the mattress is sprayed with an antibacterial insect repellent to slow the reproductive rate of dust mites after treatment. The company recommends that a mattress be cleaned about twice a year. Prices for the services start at $50.

After taking some simple steps to banish dust mites from your bedroom, you can have sweet dreams knowing that the air you breathe in will no longer prevent you from getting a good night's sleep.

Page 2 of 2